China: All weather forecasts belong to us!

China now wants to keep all weather forecasts from falling into wrong hands. It says acquisition of its meteorological information by foreigners may threaten its national security. From Xinhua:

China Meteorological Administration (CMA) statistics show that there have been about 20 breaches by foreign individuals or institutes in China since 2000.

In 2005, a Japanese company was found to have established an illegal meteorological observation station around a photovoltaic power plant in Hami, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

This year, a British group set up a meteorological observation station without the government's approval near a military harbour and the venue for yachting events for the 2008 Olympic Games in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province.

"Illegal meteorological surveys and data collection, or other activities have infringed China's sovereignty, hurt normal international co-operation and exchange of meteorological information, and threatened the country's security," said Zheng Guoguang, vice-minister of the CMA.